What is piperine and what else does pepper contain?

Perhaps you have also sometimes held a grain of Kampot pepper between your thumb and forefinger and wondered how it is possible that it contains such a huge amount of flavors compared to the regular pepper purchased in a store. The answer to this question lies in the content of piperine and other substances contained in the peppercorn.

Not only piperine affects the taste of pepper

The method of cultivating pepper in Kampot, the geographical conditions, and the processing method all influence the concentration of individual substances in the peppercorn, which give it its true flavor. The empty spiciness of store-bought pepper is replaced here by a warm and full taste accompanied by a whole range of other tones of citrus, conifers, exotic fruit, and more.

Behind these nuances of aroma and taste stands not only piperine itself, which is even spicier than the well-known capsaicin found in chili peppers, but also other substances. Among them are germacene, limonene, pinene, and alpha-phellandrene.

For example, germacene brings a strong spicy, warm, and sweet scent to the pepper. On the other hand, limonene brings freshness and those citrus tones. After this chemical analysis, it’s probably not hard to guess what pinene, which is also found in conifers, lends to the pepper.

A dance of aromas and flavors

The taste of pepper is simply a wild dance of various flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenes that turn a small peppercorn into a ticking bomb packed with aromas and flavors just waiting to explode in your mouth and unfold in your nose. 

Moreover, you can cleverly play with individual flavor tones by combining pepper with different kinds of herbs. For example, rosemary can highlight the pine tones in pepper. Conversely, coriander multiplies the citrus essence of pepper, and some berries can enhance the woody tones. In short, try experimenting a bit with Kampot Kampot pepper, and you will see that it will reward you with a whole range of unique flavor surprises. :-)